Dr Alexander Becker has over 20 years of experience in petroleum and gold exploration, technics, stratigraphy and regional geology in Central Asia, particularly the Kyrgyz Republic. He has published papers in the Journal of Structural Geology, Tectonophysics, Geology, Bulletin of American Geological Society, International Geology Review and Journal of Hydrology. In 1988 and 1989, Dr Becker won the award for Best Mapping Geologist of Kyrgyz Republic. He was also awarded the Peres Greder Prize of Israel Geological Society in 1995. Dr Becker holds a PhD in Structural Geology and Tectonophysics at the Academy of Science in Frunze, Kyrgyzstan in 1987. His MSc from Tomsk University in the USSR in 1982 specialised in structural geology and tectonophysics focus petroleum exploration tectonics, stratigraphy and regional geology of Central Asia.